The City of Joburg's Legislature, under the leadership of the Chair of Chairpersons, Cllr Alex Christians, and Chief Whip Cllr Kevin Wax undertook oversight visits to opportunity centres through Operation Lokisa.
The main goal for the oversight was to check the progress of the centres and how they could attract more unemployed graduates and ways to get more investors to sustain the programmes and provide more employment opportunities.
The first opportunity centre visited was Khoebo Opportunity Centre at Samancor Building on 88 Marshall Street in the Joburg CBD. Its services include job preparation, guidance on business plans, access to business funding, marketing strategy development and digital marketing, to name a few.
Department of Economic Development's Deputy Director, Simphiwe Malimela, said: “In these centres we offer personality consultations to see which job industry would best suit the candidate so we know what direction they want to go in."
The delegation also visited Ghandi Square where they interacted with the public to give awareness about the centres.
“As chairpersons we are doing our oversight to see how we can enhance a good project of the mayor. We've been speaking to people and they are excited about the opportunity centres and access they will have. We are appealing to residents and SMMEs to take part in the centres," said Cllr Christians.
The second stop was Isiqalo Opportunity Centre at Roodepoort Civic Centre, where the centre facilitator, Joe le Roux, said: “The centre gives a platform for job seekers to have the ability to find ways to move forward rather than sit at home and do nothing through the various training programmes that are offered."
One of the participants at the centre, Teboho Mokoena, said: “The centre has helped boost my business through the facilities that are provided here and through business coaching."
Cllr Christians encouraged City of Joburg departments to work smarter and raise more awareness about the centres to attract more unemployed youth and SMMEs.
